Crown marking apparatus



April 28, 1953 A. G. woon ETAL 2,636,434

cRowN MARKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 28, 1953 A. G. wooD ET AL cRowN MARKING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 5, 1947 m y a M H E W ,H c MHLZ/ o iwi CLAW April 28, 1953 A. G. wooD ETAL cRowN MARKING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 5, 1947 Hl O l I L rally/Er s, WAM, ,AMM wf" April 28, 1953 A. G. woon ETAL cRowN MARKING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 5, 1947 Boff/z.,

l Ax l D 4 'l' Mer April 28, 1953 A. GQ woon ETAL Patented pr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE zlcsais'i. l

CROWN MARKING APPARATUS Alfred G. Wood, Ramsey, Charles J. Laval, Tenay, and John Callaghan, Laurelton, N. J., and Eugene A. Wahl, Garden City, N. Y., and'Max A. Greulich, Belleville, and Wilhelm Boehl,

Union, N. J., assignors to P. Ballantine & Sons, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New ersey Application November 5, 1947, Serial No. 784,256

, r 1 This invention relates to a container-cap marking mechanism of the general type -disclosed in Lehman, et al. Patent No. 2,313,828, dated March 16, 1943, and has generally in view to provide a cap marking mechanism to accomplish the same general purposes as are set forth in said patent; i. e., to mark caps so thatthe particular machine which filled and capped any given bottle or can, and the particular operator ofthe machine when the given bottle or can was lled and capped, may subsequently readily be identied.

More particularlyyone special and important object of the present invention is to provide a cap marking mechanism which is effective to mark caps so as not only to enable ready identification of the particular machine which lled and capped any given bottle or can, and the operator ofthe machine at the time the given bottle or' can was lled and capped, but to indicate the date or the approximate date when the lling and capping -oi the given bottle or can occurred.

Another special and important object of the present invention is to provide a cap marking mechanism which advantageously employs cams as the actuating means for the cap marking elements thereof in lieu of toothed elements such as racks and pinions which may become fouled after more or less use and which require periodic cleaning. i

Another special and important object of the present invention is to provide a cap marking mechanism embodying simple, practical means lfor controlling advance lof caps through the 'cap chute of a bottle or can capping machine with which the mechanism is associated.

i Another special and'important object of the present invention is to provide a mechanismrembodying simple, practical means for marking caps to indicate the approximate date when a given bottle or can was capped.

With the foregoing and other objects'in'view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in a cap marking mechanism embodying the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and mode of operation, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the-accompanying drawings and'dened in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:

Figure l is a side elevation of a bottle capping machine showing the present cap marking mechanism operatively applied thereto.v

v'1s claims. (ci. ici- 44) Figure 2 is a front elevation of the bottle capping maohine and the cap marking mechanism shown in Figd. l y

Figure 3 is a central, vertical section on an enlarged scale through the cap marking mechanism showing the status of the parts thereof` during marking of a cap.V v

Figure 4 is a central, horizontal section through the cap marking mechanism.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

lFigure, 6 is a view similar to Fig. 31 showing the status of the parts of the mechanism when a stoppage occurs in the cap feed chute of the bottle capping machine preventingnormal operationv of the cap marking mechanism.` v

A vFigure '7 is a vfragmentary rear elevation of the cap marking mechanism. y Figure 8 isa perspective View of a rocker` arm .constituting a part ofthemechanism for' controlling feeding of the caps through the capchute feeding of the caps and for supporting the caps in y a position to be marked; and 4 f Figure 10v is a perspective view of a pin for cooperation with the shoe shown in Fig. 9 to-render the mechanism inoperative to repeatedly-mark ya cap in the event of stoppage of feeding of caps through the cap chute. I y- Referring tothe drawings in detail,fA designates, generally, a machine of a well known type for applyingclosure caps to bottles or cans, and B designates, generally, the present mechanism for marking the caps applied bythe machine A. The capping machine A includes, as usual, -an

annular series of vcapping heads I0 which arevintermittently rotatable as a unit to bring the heads successively to a cap-applying position or station; a hopperl ll-to' contain the caps to be applied to the bottles or cans which are understood to be fed successively to the capping heads by means with fwhich the' present invention is not concerned` and which therefore are not illustrated; and a chute l2 through which the caps gravitate from the hopper Il to the position or station where they are applied by the capping heads l0 to the bottles or'cans.

Thecapping machine A additionally includes, of course, cooperating parts whereby thejcapping heads Il) perform their function of applying capsv tobottles or cans, but as the present 'invention is not concerned with the details of said machine. the lsame is illustrated only conventionally in extends through the punch holder 36, -orotherf wise suitably carried by and dependingfrom said punch holder, is a pair of fingers 56 whichstraddle the rearward extension 48 of the shoe 35 and are engageable with forwardly facing shoulders 51 on said rearward extension to positively preventrearward movement of the punch holder 3,8 by the spring 4| when said shoe 35 is retracted. Moreover, said fingers 56 cooperate with the said rearward extension 48 of the shoe 35 to hold th punch holder3| against rotation. 1 The punch 31 extends through the tubular holder 36 and itself is4 Of tubular form and has extendingT therethrough the punch 38 vwhich is in the form of a rod On the front end ofthe punch 38 is a head 58 which is disposedexteriorly of the housing |1v and provided at itsv top with a recess 59, while on the front end of the punch holder 38 is a vertically offset housing 60 in which isl a latch bolt 6|, the lower end of l which is formed to cooperate with saidrecess 58 to latch said punch 38 against both rotation and Llongi tudinal movement relative to said punch holder 36. A spring 52 urges the latch bolt 56. downwardly to maintain its lower end in the recess 59, and said latch bolt is provided with a suitable handle 63 whereby it may readily be lifted manually to release the punch 38 for ywithdrawal from the punch 31.

Thel front end of the punch 31 is provided with four or any other suitable number of radial slots or openings 64 which are spaced preferably equal angular distances apart, while in the front end portion of the punch holder 35 is threaded a lscrevv65 for engagement in any one of said slots orV openings 64 to hold said punch 31 in predetermined angular relationship to said holder 36. The punch 38 has only a single operative angular position due to the cooperation of the latch bolt 6| with its recess 58.` Additionally, the punches 31 and 38 may be held in desired angular relationship to each other by a transverse pin 68 'carried'by the punch 38 and engaged in onev ora pair of the slots 64 of the punch 31.

The front end of the punch 31 abuts the rear face ofthe head 58 of the punch 38. Thereby saidpunch' 31' is required to move rearwardly with the punch 38 and the punch holder 36, since said punch 38 is latched to said punch holder by the latch bolt 6|. The punch 31 may be held with its front end engaging the rear face of the head 58 of the punch 38 in any suitable manner, as, for example, by direct engagement of a rearwardly facing shoulder 61 thereon with a for-` wardly facing shoulder 68 on the punch holder 36. In order, however, to permit ready engagement and disengagement of the latch bolt 6| with and from the recess 59 and, at the same time, to avoid undesirable looseness or play between thepunch holder 38 and the punches 31 and 38, the shoulders 61 and 58 preferably 'are spaced apart and a suitable expansion spring 69 is interposed between them. i i The punches 31 and 38 are of lengths such that their rear ends are disposed flush, or substantially flush, with each other, and are iocated rearwardly of the rear end of the punch 6*. holder 36,-when 'the' punch 3.8 'isjlatohed bygthe latch bolt 6| and the front end of the punch 31 abuts` the rear face of the head 58 of the punch 38.

On the rear ends of the punches 31 and 38 are' suitable raised characters 10 and 1|, respectively, which are impressed in the central portion of the'foil or other lining 12 of a capa disposed in the cap chute |2 inalinement with said punches when the punch holder 36 and, consequently,

the punches 31 and 38 are released by the cam 33 and are projected rearwardly by the spring 4| f Each operator of any given machine is furnished with a punch 38 having a distinctive character 1|, such, for example, as a numeral or num-` ber, and whenever any given operator takes charge of a machine he inserts his punch 38 in theipunch 31, the prior operator of the machine having removed his punch 38 from the machinel at the 'end of his'tour of duty bythesimple act of releasing the latch'bolt; 6| and withdrawing his punch 38 from the punch 31. Thus, the mark impressed by the punch 38 in the lining of the cap of any given bottle or can, is a clear indica- .f tion that that particular bottle or can was capped by a certain machine in charge of a certain operator.

The relationship of the character, or characters, 18 of the punch 31 to the character, or characters,` 1| of the punch 38 is indicative of the approximate date when any given cap was stamped by any given machine. Forexample,

for a time period of one year, thirteen punchesv 31 may be provided, each for-use during a period of -four consecutive Weeks. The punch 31 for usel during the i'lrst four weeks of any year may have, for example, a single character 10 to f orm a mark such as a dot, and, to indicate the first week in the year, the punch 31 may be an--v` gularly related to the punch 38 so that the dot is applied, for example. above the mark formed by the character 1| of the punch 38. To indicate the second week in the year, the punch 31 may. be angularly related to the punch 38 so that the dOf? iS applied, for eXamDle, at the right handv side of the mark formed by the character 1|, Similarly,.to indicate the third week in the year. the punch 31 may be angularly related =to the punch 38 so that the doi'l is applied, for example, below the mark formed by the character 1|, while to indicate the fourth week of the year the punch 31 may be angularly related to the punch 38 so that the dot is applied, for example, at the left hand side of the mark formed by the 'charac-f. ter 1|. The punch 31 to cover the time period of the ncxt'four weeksin the year maybe provided, forexam'ple with a .character to forma short vertical or a horizontal line, a pair voidots or the4 like'. In other words, each punch '3,1 has. a character, or characters, different fromeach other such punch to cover a period of four'con?. secutive weeks, and the different angular rela-1 tionships of each punch 31 to the punch 38, as determined by engagement of the screw 65 inthe respective slots or openings 64 of each punch 31, may be employed to indicate the respective weeks of the four week period. Thus, use of anygiven punch 38 will result in a mark to indicate the particular machine which applied a given cap, and the operatorv of the machine when the cap was applied, while theuse of any given punch131 will result in a mark indicative of the week of the year when the cap was applied. f i Of course, if more definite date markingof .the caps shouldvbe desired, there .may :be used;

for example. a different punch.- ssifor each. periodi' other; obviously' is capable of many Variations f to' accomplish: the general purpose of applying to thev caps a' markings to indicate a particular machine! which appliedk a given cap` aswell as the operator of the machine and the date, or the approximate date, when the cap was applied.

The operation of the mechanism is as followst Caps ai gravitat'e from the hopper through the chutev t2 with their open ends' facing forwardly. The cams 3i. and $13 are driven in unison and the* cam 3E and the spring 53 serve to roch the rocker arm 45 with the result that the pin 31E andv theA shoe 35 alternatively are projected into and retracted from the cap chute I2. When the shoe- 35 is projected it halts descent of the caps and supports the lowerm'ost of the caps tlicreabove'riri alinement with the punches 31 and 38, or, in other words, in a position to he marked by sehd' punches.- The cam 33' is' related' to the cani 32 to retract the punch holder 3d andthe punches and' 38y during retraction of the pin; 3# and projection of the shoe 3'5, and to release sai-d' punchholder' and the' punches .37 and 38 for projection by the springY Iii when the pin 34 has been retracted` and the shoe Sli has been projected. The cap supported directly upon the shoe 35r thus is marked by the punches 31 and 38. Thereupon, the cam 33 acts to retract the punch l'ioldc'r 35 and' the punches 3i and 38, and the cam 3-*2 acts to rock the rocker arm d'6 to project the pin 3d and to retract the shoe 35. The marked cap thus is released' to gravitate through the chute l2 below the shoe 35 to the capping station or' the capp-ingV head, while at the same time the projected pin 3l! acts to hold the caps thereabove against downward movement. The spring 53 then acts to rock the rocker arm d5 to retract the pin 34" and to project the shoe 35, with the result that the caps above the pin move downwardly and the lowermost of the same comes to'rest upon the shoe 3% in a position to be marked. Thereupon the cam 33 again releases the' punch holder 3i and the punches 31 and 38 andthe recountedv operation is repeated, which continues as long as the shaft 21 is driven and there is no interference with feeding of the caps.

If, for any reason, a cap should become stopped or lodged in the cap chute i2 in a position to interfere with projection of the pin 34, the lost motion connection between said pin and the rocker arm 46 will permit said pin to remain retracted even though the cam 32 and the spring 53 may continue to act to rock said rocker arm. Thus, no harm will result to the cap or the niarkingv mechanism due to the cap stoppage or lodgemont.

If, because of an accumulation of caps in the cap chute l2 below the shoe 35, or if, for any other reasons, a cap should come to rest or become lodged behind said shoe and thereby prevent its projection, the shoulders l on the rearward extension t of said shoe will act as stops, engageable by the fingers 5t of the punch holder 36, to prevent projection of said punch holder and the ponches 37 and 38. Thus, there will not occur repeated marking and pounding of a cap in the 8 position by: the" punches: 3T and. 38 einen thoughthe cam Stimay continuato. act'toiretract said: punch.` holder and: the: spring 4 l' may' con-- tinue to attemptto project the same.

1i desired'V means.- may be provided: to; direct one. or more air: blasts downwardly againstcaps in the chute I2 to assist gravity in feeding; the caps: through said chute, thus to increaser the speed ofi operation: of the marking mechanism; In. this. connection and as illustrated inthetdraw'- ings,.the. housing tt' is: provided with two. downiwardly and rearwardly inclined air ducts 'lit' and liwhich open through the rear of said? housing intov the cap chute 12.', onev at a point aoovevthe pinz34 so thatair issuing therefrom assistsgravity in urging" the caps downwardly toward: said? pin; and. the other atV a point abovev the` shoe 351 so that. air' issuingtherefrom assists gravity inY urge ing the marked caps downwardly from the marking position when said shoe is retracted. Pipes f5 are connected to any suitable source of supply of compressed air' and to said ducts lf3 and T4 i'or the delivery of' compressed air to the latter; and in this connection the air delivery may either be constant orA intermittent under the control of suitable valve means, as desired.

Preferably, but not necessarily, guide Hanges i6 are provided at the rear of the housLngA IT to laterally position the caps a centrally relative to the punches 3l and 38 as the caps move downwardly through the cap chute S12' to the marking position. These ilanges are laterally spaced apart, project into the cap chute i2 and have the upper portions of their inner faces inclined downwardly and inwardly as indicated at l1' so that as the caps a move downwardly between them the caps are centralized with respect to the punches 3l and 3B. Said flanges may be formed from any suitable hard, wear resisting material and may be carried either directly by the rear wall of the housing Il, or', as shown, by a rear cover plate 'it separate from said housing and fastened against the rear face thereof' by, for example, screws 18.

From the foregoing description considered' in connection with the accompanying drawings, it isvbelieved that the construction. and operation ofthe present cap marking mechanism will be clearly understood and its advantages appreelated.` It is desired to pointA out, however, that while only a single specific embodiment of. said mechanism has been illustrated and described. the same 1s readily susceptible ofi various modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

n a container capping machine hav". cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, a rockermzrn directly interconnecting said pin and said shoe and effective by rocking movement thereof to project and retract said pin and, shoe alternately with respect to each other and axially into and irom said chute to temporarily arrest and release each cap fed through said chute, and cooperating gigi and spring means for rocking said rocker 2. In a container capping machine having a cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, a rocker arm connected to said pin and said shoe and efective hy rocking movement thereof to alternately project and retract said pin and shoe into and from said chute to temporarily arrest and release each cap. fed through said chute, cooperating cam and spring means for rocking said rocker arm, and means for marking each cap while it is tempoaesegisa r'arilyzlarrested,'said' pin having allost motion connection with .said rocker arm to' permit said pin toremain retracted during rocking of said rocker arm in the eventvthere should be an obstruction in the feed chute-interfering with projectionof said pin. 3.In a container capping machine having a cap feed chute, a shoe projectable into and retractable from said chute to temporarily arrest and release eacn capricci through said chute, means projectable into-and retractable from said chute for marking each cap while it is temporarily arrested, means forv actuating said shoe and said marking means, and'cooperating stopffmeans on said shoe and said'ma'rking means whereby said shoe prevents projection ofsaid marking means in the event said shoe is held" against projection into saidcapchute by an obstruction therein.r

4. In a container' capping machine having a cap feed chute, a pin' land a shoe having fixed positions'bothlaterally and vertically relative to said chute, and 'means for projecting and retracting said pin and said shoe alternately with respect to each other and axially into-and from said chute to temporarily arrest and release eachcap fed through said chute.

` '5. In acontai'rie'rcappin'g -machine having a cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the former disposed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute, and means for projecting and retracting said pin and shoe alternately With respect to each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then to release each cap fed through said chute.

6. In a container capping machine having a cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the former disposed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute, a rocker arm directly interconnecting said pin and shoe andeective by rocking movement thereof to project and retract said pin and shoe alternately with respect to each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then to release each cap fed through said chute, and means for rocking said rocker arm.

7. In a container capping machine having a cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the former disposed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute. a rocker arm directly interconnecting said pin and shoe and effective by rocking movement thereof Lto project and retract said pin and shoe alternately with respect to each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then' to release each cap fed through said chute, a cam follower carried by said rocker arm, a rotatable shaft extending transversely relative to said rocker arm, and means including a cam on said shaft cooperating directly with said cam follower to rock said rocker arm.

8. In a container capping machine having a. cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the former disl() posed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly rela- ,tive to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute, a

rocker arm directly interconnecting said pin and shoe and effective by rocking movement thereof to project and retract said'pin and shoe alternately withv respect to each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then to release each cap fed through said chute,

a cam follower carried by said rocker arm, a rotatable shaft extendingtransversely relative to said rocker arm, a cam on said shaft cooperating directly with said cam follower to rock said rocker arm in one direction, and spring means for rocking said rocker arm in the opposite direction..

9. In a container capping machine having a cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the formerdisposed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute, a rocker arm directly interconnecting said pin and shoe and effective by rocking movementvrthereof to project and retract said pin and shoe alternately with respect t0 each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then to release each cap fed through said chute, and means for rocking said rocker arm, said pin having a lost-motion connection with said rocker arm tol permit said pin to remain retracted during rocking of said rocker arm in the event of an obstruction in said chute interfering with projection of said pin.

10. In a container capping machine having a. cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the former disposed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute, a rocker arm directly interconnecting said pin and shoe and effective by rocking movement thereof to project and retract said pin and shoe alternately with respect to each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then to release each cap fed through said chute, a cam follower carried by said rocker arm, a rotatable shaft extending transversely relative to said rocker arm, and means including a cam on said shaft cooperating directly with said cam follower to rock said rocker arm.

1l. In a container capping machine having a cap feed chute, a pin and a shoe, the former disposed above and spaced from the latter and each disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to said chute and longitudinally projectable and retractable into and from said chute, said pin and shoe each having a fixed position both laterally and vertically relative to said chute, a rocker arm directly interconnecting said pin and shoe and effective by rocking movement thereof to project and retract said pin and shoe alternately with respect to each other into and from said chute to temporarily arrest for marking and then to release each cap fed through said chute, a cam follower carried by said rocker arm, a rotatable shaft extending transversely relative to said rocker arm, a cam on said shaft cooperating directly with said cam follower to rock said rocker -sdfshaft ffdoperating directly .with -s'aLid @am 'through sad chute, ,ga :cam ffnlluwer married 1y 'said Lmarkng means, ia `cam :cooperating :direct- 1y Ywith :said :cam follower `to tretract ."sad 'marking means, "said cam :having a `step to .suddenly release said Imax-king kmeans :for projection, sand spring means for projecting said marknghmeans.

`ALFRED LG. WOOD. CHARLES LAVAL. JOHN 

